Abstract
Gas flooding such as CO2 flooding may be effectively applied to ultra-low permeability reservoirs, but gas channeling is inevitable due to low viscosity and high mobility of gas and formation heterogeneity. In order to mitigate or prevent gas channeling, ethylenediamine is chosen for permeability profile control. The reaction mechanism of ethylenediamine with CO2, injection performance, swept volume, and enhanced oil recovery were systematically evaluated. The reaction product of ethylenediamine and CO2 was a white solid or a light yellow viscous liquid, which would mitigate or prevent gas channeling. Also, ethylenediamine could be easily injected into ultra-low permeability cores at high temperature with protective ethanol slugs. The core was swept by injection of 0.3 PV ethylenediamine. Oil displacement tests performed on heterogeneous models with closed fractures, oil recovery was significantly enhanced with injection of ethylenediamine. Experimental results showed that using ethylenediamine to plug high permeability layers would provide a new research idea for the gas injection in fractured, heterogeneous and ultra-low permeability reservoirs. This technology has the potential to be widely applied in oilfields.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alemu B L, Aker E, Soldal M, et al. Influence of CO2 on rock physics properties in typical reservoir rock: a CO2 flooding experiment of brine saturated sandstone in a CT-scanner. Energy Procedia. 2011. 4: 4379–4386
Bon J, Sarma H K and Theophilos A M. An investigation of MMP for CO2-rich injection gases with pentanes-plus fraction. Paper SPE 97536 presented at International Improved Oil Recovery Conference in Asia Pacific, 5–6 December 2005, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Cao M and Gu Y. Physicochemical characterization of produced oils and gases in immiscible and miscible CO2 flooding processes. Energy Fuels. 2013. 27(1): 440–453
Chen S, Li H and Yang D. Optimization of production performance in a CO2 flooding reservoir under uncertainty. Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology. 2010. 49(2): 71–78
Enick R M, Olsen D, Ammer J, et al. Mobility and conformance control for CO2 EOR via thickeners, foams, and gels: a literature review of 40 years of research and pilot Tests. Paper SPE 154122 presented at Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, 14–18 April 2012, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Hamouda A A, Chukwudeme E A and Mirza D. Investigating the effect of CO2 flooding on asphaltenic oil recovery and reservoir wettability. Energy Fuels. 2009. 23(2): 1118–1127
Hou J R, Liu Z C and Zhao F L. Channeling prevention agent and its application of carbon dioxide flooding in ultra-low permeability reservoirs. Chinese Patent: 200710176327.2007 (in Chinese)
Hou Y L and Yue X A. Research on a novel composite gel system for CO2 breakthrough. Petroleum Science. 2010. 7(2): 245–250
Huang Y Z, Liu F H and Yang Z M. Mass transfer of complex fluids in porous media. Acta Mechanica Sinica. 2002. 34(2): 256–261 (in Chinese)
Jaubert J N, Avaullee L and Pierre C. Is it still necessary to measure the minimum miscibility pressure. Industrial Engineering Chemistry Research. 2002. 41(2): 303–310
Ju B S, Qin J S, Li Z P, et al. A prediction model for the minimum miscibility pressure of the CO2-crude oil system. Acta Petrolei Sinica. 2012. 33(2): 274–277 (in Chinese)
Ju B S, Wu Y S, Qin J S, et al. Modeling CO2 miscible flooding for enhanced oil recovery. Petroleum Science. 2013. 10(2): 192–198
Koottungal L. 2008 worldwide EOR survey. Oil and Gas Journal. 2008. 106(15): 47–59
Li H Z, Yang D Y and Tontiwachwuthikul P. Experimental and theoretical determination of equilibrium interfacial tension for the solvent(s) -CO2-heavy oil systems. Energy & Fuels. 2012. 26: 1776–1786
Luo P, Zhang Y P, Wang X Q, et al. Propane-enriched CO2 immiscible flooding for improved heavy oil recovery. Energy & Fuels. 2012. 26(4): 2124–2135
Manrique E, Thomas C, Ravikiran R, et al. EOR: current status and opportunities. Paper SPE 130113 presented at Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, 24–28 April 2010, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Moreno R Z, Santos R G, Okabe C, et al. Comparison of residual oil saturation for water and supercritical CO2 flooding in a long core, with live oil at reservoir conditions. Journal of Porous Media. 2011. 14: 699–708
Moritis G. CO2 and HC injection lead EOR production increase. Oil & Gas Journal. 1990. 88(17): 49–83
Okuno R, Johns R and Sepehrnoori K. Mechanisms for high displacement efficiency of low-temperature CO2 floods. SPE Journal. 2011. 16(4): 751–767
Oldenburg C M and Rinaldi A P. Buoyancy effects on upward brine displacement caused by CO2 injection. Transport in Porous Media. 2011. 87: 525–540
Patil U, Fihri A, Emwas A H, et al. Silicon oxynitrides of KCC-1, SBA-15 and MCM-41 for CO2 capture with excellent stability and regenerability. Chemical Science. 2012. 3(7): 2224–2229
Qin J S, Zhang K and Chen X L. Mechanism of the CO2 flooding in reservoirs containing high water. Acta Petrolei Sinica. 2010. 31(5): 797–800 (in Chinese)
Reid B and David F. Cost reduction and injectivity improvements for CO2 foams for mobility control. Paper SPE 75178 presented at SPE/DOE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium, 13–17 April 2002, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Shen P P, Jiang H Y, Chen Y W, et al. EOR study of CO2 injection. Special Oil and Gas Reservoirs. 2010. 14(3): 1–4 (in Chinese)
Tang Y, Du Z M, Sun L, et al. Influence of CO2 dissolving in formation water on CO2 flooding process. Acta Petrolei Sinica. 2011. 32(2): 311–314 (in Chinese)
Torabi F, Jamaloei B Y, Zarivnyy O, et al. The evaluation of variable-injection rate waterflooding, immiscible CO2 flooding, and water-alternating-CO2 injection for heavy oil recovery. Petroleum Science and Technology. 2012. 30(16): 1656–1669
Wang X Q and Gu Y. Oil recovery and permeability reduction of a tight sandstone reservoir in immiscible and miscible CO2 flooding processes. Industrial Engineering Chemistry Research. 2011. 50(4): 2388–2399
Xue Z D, Zhang G F and Zhu Z H. Calculation on weakly bound carbon dioxide dimer by DFT Acta Physico-Chemica Sinica. 2001. 17(6): 501–506 (in Chinese)
Yao Y D and Ji Z M. A quick evaluation model for CO2 flooding and sequestration. Petroleum Science. 2010. 7(4): 515–523
Yu C L, Hou J R, Zhao F L, et al. A new technique for enlarging swept area for CO2 drive in extra-low permeability reservoirs. Oilfield Chemistry. 2009. 26(2): 165–168 (in Chinese)
Zhang L, Zhao F L and Hou J R. Experimental study of improving the CO2 flooding development effect in ultra-low permeability reservoir. Advanced Materials Research. 2012. 594-597: 2470–2474
Zhao H M, Lin D, Yang G, et al. Adsorption capacity of carbon dioxide on amine modified mesoporous materials with larger pore sizes. Acta Physico-Chemica Sinica. 2012. 28(4): 985–992 (in Chinese)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhao, F., Zhang, L., Hou, J. et al. Profile improvement during CO2 flooding in ultra-low permeability reservoirs. Pet. Sci. 11, 279–286 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12182-014-0341-6
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12182-014-0341-6